Ventilated buffing wheel



Jan. ,1951 T. H. KINGSBURY 2,539,344

VENTILATED BUFFING WHEEL;

Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR. I j/zw, 4%, w

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES NT O FFICE VENTILATED BUFFING WHEEL Thomas H. Kingsbury, Chicago, 11]., assignor to American Buff Qompany, Chicago, Hit, a corporation of Illinois 7 Claims.

This invention relates to buffing and has for an object the provision of buffing wheels and buffing sections of the socalled centerless type.

In the manufacture of buffing wheels for polishing sheet steel and other surfaces, it is necessary to provide a boiling wheel which will not disintegrate at high speeds. It is also desirable to provide a bufiing wheel which is air-cooled and which is constructed in such a manner that unuseable fabric in the central portions Of the buff are eliminated. By such a construction substantial savings are effected since fabric is assembled only in the efiective portions of the buff and it is not necessary to discard or reclaim fabric after the wheel-has been worn down to the point where it can-n0 longer be employed. Buffs constructed in this manner, that is, with the fabric being present only in the annular peripheral portions of the buff, are the so-called centerless buffs and they are usually built up from a plurality of coaxially mounted buifing sections. Such sections must be supported in proper relationship to the arbor of the boiling machine and it has also been found desirable in the construction of the bufiing wheel to provide means for forcing air through and between the several buff sections during operation of the bufiing wheel.

It is accordingly one object of this invention to provide a buff section of the centerless type which has secured thereto a centering disc constructed in such a manner as to force air radially of a bufiing wheel assembled from a lurality of such sections.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a buff section in which the air-circulating means is self-contained within it.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a centering disc for a buff section of the centerless type.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a centering disc for a buff section of the centerless type which disc has associated with it means for positively forcing air radially of the buff section when it is rotated at high speeds.

Further and additional objects will appear from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, there is provided a centering disc for a buff section of the centerless type which comprises a hub section having a central arbor-receiving aperture, a plurality of circumferentially spaced substantially flat spokes extending outwardly from the hub section, a rim section interconnecting the outer ends of the spokes, the flat central body portions of the spokes lying in planes extending at substantial angles to the plane of the hub and rim sections, and means on the rim section for securing the disc to an inner edge of a centerless buff section.

It is preferred that the centering disc be stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal and that the rim section thereof be provided with an offset flange capable of embracing not only the inner peripheral edge of an annular buff section but also the inner side edge of the section. Preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures are provided in the rim section which are adapted to receive correspondingly spaced tab members on the buff section itself whereby the buff section and the centering disc are held together in firm relationship.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the buff section itself comprises a ring having a pair of rows of prongs which are adapted to embrace, and at least partially pierce, an annular fabric layer extending radially outwardly from the ring whereby the fabric is securely held in position when the buif is rotated at high speeds. The ring may be formed in two annular parts, one of which nests in the other and. contains tabs which may be bent outwardly holding the two ring portions in assembled relationship, some of the tabs also extending through the apertures in the centering disc to hold it in fixed relationship to the buff section itself.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference is now had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a broken side elevational view of a buffing wheel constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken sectional view Of the buffing wheel shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a buff sect ion showing an intermediate stage in the assembly thereof; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the various elements of a buff section including the centering disc prior to final assembly.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a composite buffing wheel mounted on an arbor is and constructed from a plurality of buff sections l2 including the centering discs of ,this invention. The buff sections l2 (three being shown in Fig. 2) include an annular ring it sup porting the inner peripheral edge of an annular strip of fabric material Hi, all constructed and assembled in a manner hereinafter to be decribed. The buff sections l2 are assembled in coaxial relationship in the manner shown in Fig. 2 and are clamped together between a pair of metal clamping plates is by suitable nuts E9. The plates l8 each have a central arbor-receiving aperture and circumferentially spaced air circulating apertures 22. Radially spaced tongue members 24 are provided adjacent the apertures 22 on the clamping plates IS in order to support and to assist in centering of the end buff sections [2 on the arbor It.

With reference to the individual buff sections 12, they each comprise a centering disc 26 having a fiat hub section 28 provided with a central arbor-receiving aperture 39. The centering disc is preferably stamped from a single sheet of metal in such a manner that there are provided a plurality of circumferentially spaced fiat spokes to the disc so that they will be most effective for circulating air in the manner contemplated by this invention.

The rim section 3-?- of the centering disc is provided with a first peripheral flange 36 defining a cylinder which is coaxial with the hub section 28, the flange 36 also being provided with an outwardly extending radial flange 38 which defines a second peripheral flange offset from the plane of the main body portion of the centering disc. The flanges 3t and 38, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, serve partially to embrace the inner peripheral edge of the buff section i2. As will be most clearly apparent from Fig. 4, the outer flange 38 is provided with a plurality of circum ferentially spaced apertures 40 which serve as cooperating means for securing the centering disc to the buff section about to be described.

The buff section l2 comprises the annular strip of fabric it which may be formed in any desired manner. For example the fabric may comprise a plurality of layers of textile material spirally wound on suitable cords or Wires 42 or, if desired, it may comprise a sleeve of a plurality of wound layers of fabric gathered together in its center by means of a single cord or wire in a manner that is well understood in the art. Preferably it is gathered at its inner peripheral edge and stitched prior to assembly 011 the ring as by stitches 3 and 35. Irrespective of how the annulus of buffing fabric is formed, it is placed over a first ring portion 4% (see Fig. 4) which comprises a main body portion 46 having a plurality of outwardly and inwardly extending prongs as along one edge thereof and a plurality of tabs 50 and 52 along the other edge thereof. After the annular piece of buffin fabric It has been assembled upon the ring portion 44, then a second ring portion 515 is superimposed. The ring portion 53 includes a main body portion 56 and a row of outwardly and inwardly extending prongs 58 extending along one peripheral edge thereof. The ring portion 54 is of such size that the portion 5?; will nest within the large central aperture iii of the annular fabric section [6 but at the same time will embrace or fit around the plates !8.

outside of the main body portion 46 and the tabs and 52 of the ring portion 44. The inner peripheral edge of the fabric section I6 is then pressed tightly between the ring sections 44 and 54 in such a manner that the fabric is compressed and the prongs 48 and 58 at least partially puncture the fabric, thus gripping it firmly. At this point in the assembly the tabs 50 and 52 of the ring section 44 extend outwardly beyond that edge of the ring portion 54 from which the row of prongs 58 extends. While the assembly is thus compressed alternate tabs 52 are bent outwardly so that the ring portion 54 is embraced and the fabric section i6 is firmly compressed in the position shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter the centering disc 26 is placed on the resulting assembly, the tabs 59 being positioned to pass through the apertures 4G in the peripheral flange 38. When the centering disc has thus been positioned, then the tabs 5! are bent outwardly in order to firmly secure the centering disc to the resulting centerless buff section. The tabs 58 and 52 serve to hold the elements of the buff section firmly together and tabs serve the additional function of securin the centering disc to the buff section.

Thus a buff section has been provided having a centering disc formed of a suitable sheet of material and provided with integral fan elements, these latter constituting the twisted fiat spokes 32 of the centering disc. It will be understood that when a plurality of the buff sections are assembled in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, there are provided a plurality of elongated slots 62 between the tabs 5i) through which the air is circulated by means of these fan elements, the air being drawn into the center of the buffing wheel through the apertures 22 in the clamping plates l8. In addition to the elongated slots 62, there are also radial passageways between several buff sections formed by the deep cuts or slits between adjacent tabs 50 and 52 of the ring portion 54 and between the prongs 48 and 58 of the ring portions 44 and 54, respectively. These cuts or slots extend into the main body portions of the respective ring portions and serve to form small passageways 64 as indicated in Fig. 2.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that an air-cooled buff has been provided which may be readily assembled and which may be readily manufactured. The fan elements constituting the main body portions 32 of the spokes of the centering discs are positioned well Within that area defined by the parallel planes defined by the opposite faces of each buff section so that the fan elements or spokes of one section do not interfere with the fan elements or spokes of another adjacent section when the buffing wheel is assembled. The centering discs provide an effective means for insuring the centering of each individual buff section on the arbor Ill. The amount of air circulating through the buihng wheel built up from the buff sections of this invention may be controlled by regulating the sizeof the apertures 22 on the clamping This may be effected, if desired, by providing auxiliary damping plates (not shown) on the face of each clamping plate 18 which may be provided with spaced apertures that may be moved into and out of registry with the apertures 22 thus controlling the amount of air drawn into the bufiing wheel and thus circulated from it through the radial passageways 62 and 64.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it will be understood, of

course,t h'at the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall: within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A centering disc formed from sheet material for a centerless bufi comprising a hub section having a central arbor-receiving aperture therein, a plurality of substantially flat spokes extending outwardly from said hub section, a rim section interconnecting the outer ends of said spokes, the flat central body portions of said spokes lying in planes extending at substantial angles to said hub and rim sections, and means on said rim section for securing said disc to an inner edge of a centerless buff.

2;'A centering disc formed from a single piece of sheet metal for a hull of the centerless type comprising a hub section having a central arborreceiving aperture therein, a-plurality of radially extending flat spokes integral with and extending radially outwardly from said hub section, and a rim section integral with said spokes and interconnecting the outer ends of said spokes, the flat central body portions of said spokes being fdeformed at substantial angles out of the plane of said disc, said rim section including a peripherally extending offset portion having circumferentially spaced bull-securing apertures therein.

0 A centering disc for a centerless buif formed of a single piece of sheet metal which comprises a substantially fiat hub section including a central arbor-receiving aperture, a rim section including-"a peripheral portion coplanar with the hubsection and spaced therefrom, and a plurality of integral flat spokes interconnecting the hub section and said peripheral portion, said spokes being deformed to present their flat surfaces in planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of said disc, said rim section also includinga first peripheral flange extending substantially perpendicular to said peripheral portion and a second peripheral flange extending outwardly from said first peripheral flange in a plane substantially parallel to but ofiset from the plane of said peripheral portion and hub.

4. The centering disc recited in claim 3 wherein said second peripheral flange has a plurality of tab-receiving apertures therein.

5. A buff section comprising a ring, bufling fabric secured to said ring and extending radially outwardly thereof, and a centering disc supported within said ring, said disc comprising a flat hub section having a central arbor-receiving aperture therein, a plurality of substantially flat spokes extending outwardly from said hub section toward said ring, the flat central body portions of said spokes lying in planes extending at substantial angles to the plane of said buff section, and a rim portion interconnecting the outer nds of said spokes and secured to said ring.

6. A bufi section comprising a ring, bufling fabric secured to said ring and extending radially outwardly thereof, and a centering disc supported within said ring, said disc comprising a flat hub section having a central arbor-receiving aperture therein, a plurality of substantially flat spokes extending outwardly from said hub section toward said ring, and a rim portion interconnecting the outer ends of said spokes and partially embracing said ring, the flat central body portions of said spokes lying in planes extending at substantial angles to the plane of said buiT section, said ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced outwardly extending tabs received in cooperating circumferentially spaced apertures in said ring for securing said disc to said ring.

7. A buiT section comprising a ring having two rows of outwardly extending fabric-embracing prongs, a buffing fabric secured to said ring by and between said rows of prongs and extending radially outwardly thereof, a centering disc having a less over-all thickness than said ring and supported therewithin, said disc being formed of flat sheet material and comprising a flat hub section having a central arbor-receiving aperture therein, a plurality of substantially flat spokes extending outwardly from said hub section toward said ring, and a rim portion interconnecting the outer ends of said spokes and having a first portion abutting the inner peripheral edge of said ring and a second portion abutting an inner side edge of said ring, said second portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures therein, the flat central body portions of said spokes lying in planes extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of said bufi section, and said ring also having a plurality of outwardly extending tabs passing through said circumferentially spaced apertures for securing said disc to said ring and fabric. THOMAS H. KINGSBURY.

No references cited. 

